Costco to stop selling books in surprise blow to publishers: report

New York Post ^ | 06/06/2024 | Ariel Zilber

[SeekAndFind]

Costco will no longer offer books for sale year-round and will instead stock them only for the holiday shopping period and during special promotions, according to a report — a surprise move that poses yet another threat to the publishing industry.

Several publishing executives who were informed of the retailer’s plans told The New York Times that Costco will cease offering books for sale on a consistent basis starting in January.

The decision was met with criticism on Reddit, where users vented that the decision was akin to “cancelling the hot dog in the food court” — a reference to Costco’s beloved $1.50 hot dog-and-soda bundle deal that remains a hit with customers.

The executives said that Costco was looking to cut back on labor costs associated with stocking books, which is often done by hand.

Unlike books, many of Costco’s other products are rolled out on a pallet.

Costco staffers also have to devote considerable manpower to put new books on display every week when they are released for sale while returning old books that went unsold.

The decision is a blow to the publishing industry given that Costco buys books in bulk — ordering tens of thousands of copies of a book at a minimum — and offers them for sale to shoppers who may not otherwise seek them out.

“Costco across the country was a big outlet for books,” Robert Gottlieb, a literary agent who heads Trident Media Group, told the Times.

“There are now fewer and fewer places to buy books in a retail environment.”

Last week, Costco reported robust earnings in its most recent quarter as cash-strapped consumers flocked to its warehouses to grab low-priced discretionary items and groceries.

[P.O.E.]

Not only dictionaries, but encyclopedia entries keep getting sanitized (e.g., go back and look at old versions of Wikipedia’s Earth Day entries - if they haven’t been purged).

Wouldn’t be surprised if all e-books get the same treatment in time.

[minnesota_bound]

The magazine racks at the grocery store have little selection.

[Prince of Space]

Hubby is always trying to get me to unload my book collection. I’ve refused for the last 45 yrs. Books were my salvation as a kid and I can’t imagine a house without them.